Why does D'Antoni insist on looking up when things are going down??

T

TakMan

Rotation player
What's the deal with Mike anyway. Every time the Knicks concede a basket through appalling defence, D'Antoni's response is to look to the sky as if there's a flock of seagulls up there laughing in his face (as seagulls tend to do)

There comes a time when people apply logic to situations and logic dictates several truths in this situation.

1. There probably is no GOD

2. Even if there was a GOD he/she/it is definitely NOT a Knicks fan.

3. You might as well bring in a defensive coach from the Masai tribes of Africa, as he will knock as much sense into the players as the current coach does (at a smaller cost)

4. Randolph probably needs more minutes, particularly during games that have been decided from the 3rd quarter

5. See point 1
 
S

Sprewell-Houston

Starter
I don't know, but it's really not Mike's fault when Felton plays like garbage, especially on defense. STAT doesn't want to get in foul trouble so he often backs down on defense. Fields is a rookie, the same goes for Mozgov.

The only good defensive players on our squad are Toney Douglas and Ronny Turiaf (who has no offense).

Can't blame Mike for that. After all he had a great record with Phoenix and he seems to be a competent coach on both ends of the floor.
Just have a look at that video someone posted here a few days ago where Mike talks about defense in the San Antonio game.
He saw everything right in his analysys imo.

What should he do?
I blame the players much more than the coach. I think with the right players we would look much more like Miami under D'Antoni than people think.

His SSOL offense has nothing to do with not playing defense. He even hands out scouting reports and defensive hints to his players before games, but for some reason these guys think just because coach wants them to score 108 each game they don't need to focus on defense, which is entirely wrong.

I think Mike is not talking much defense in interviews because he sees it as a given thing that comes with beeing a professional athlete. I mean offense depends a lot on playbooks and philosophies, but defense is something every fit player should be able to play. If Felton feels tired he should focus on playing D and conserve his energy on offense.
Unfortunately our players think the other way round. They go all out on offense and show little interest in playing D for most of the game.

It's all a question of attitude and mentality. No matter who your coach is and what gameplan he has - you should always play tough 1 on 1 defense and call the guys out who don't add to team defense.

I think guys like Deron Williams, Kevin Garnett, Ronny Turiaf etc. they would always play defense, no matter if they're coached by Mike D'Antoni or Doc Rivers.
 
StEpHoN_mArBuRy

StEpHoN_mArBuRy

All Star
Sprewell-Houston said:
I don't know, but it's really not Mike's fault when Felton plays like garbage, especially on defense. STAT doesn't want to get in foul trouble so he often backs down on defense. Fields is a rookie, the same goes for Mozgov.

The only good defensive players on our squad are Toney Douglas and Ronny Turiaf (who has no offense).

Can't blame Mike for that. After all he had a great record with Phoenix and he seems to be a competent coach on both ends of the floor.
Just have a look at that video someone posted here a few days ago where Mike talks about defense in the San Antonio game.
He saw everything right in his analysys imo.

What should he do?
I blame the players much more than the coach. I think with the right players we would look much more like Miami under D'Antoni than people think.

His SSOL offense has nothing to do with not playing defense. He even hands out scouting reports and defensive hints to his players before games, but for some reason these guys think just because coach wants them to score 108 each game they don't need to focus on defense, which is entirely wrong.

I think Mike is not talking much defense in interviews because he sees it as a given thing that comes with beeing a professional athlete. I mean offense depends a lot on playbooks and philosophies, but defense is something every fit player should be able to play. If Felton feels tired he should focus on playing D and conserve his energy on offense.
Unfortunately our players think the other way round. They go all out on offense and show little interest in playing D for most of the game.

It's all a question of attitude and mentality. No matter who your coach is and what gameplan he has - you should always play tough 1 on 1 defense and call the guys out who don't add to team defense.

I think guys like Deron Williams, Kevin Garnett, Ronny Turiaf etc. they would always play defense, no matter if they're coached by Mike D'Antoni or Doc Rivers.
Click to expand...
Man.. That's bs. We got plenty of guys who are capable of playing D. Problem is they don't have some1 who is constantly on their ass to do it. You say Amare doesn't wanna pick up fouls so he backs off, Felton let's guys blow by him sometimes, a good coach would call time out immediately afterwards and get in that players face for these kinds of tendancies.

You look at the Celtics, especially the 07 - 08 team that won the title. No one on that team was really noted as a great defensive player besides Kevin Garnett really. But all of a sudden pierce became a lockdown defender, Ray's defense was too shabby and Rondo becomes one of the premier defenders in the passing lanes. Why? Because they had a defensive strategy. They had a coach who instiled it in them to play defense for a full 48. They had some1 who taught em how to defend in certain situations. Dantoni could make his life so much easier by hiring a defensive coach (like the celtics had with Tom Thibs) to sit along side him. He's just determined to have it his way or no way at all.
 
nyk_nyk

nyk_nyk

All Star
Sprewell-Houston said:
His SSOL offense has nothing to do with not playing defense. He even hands out scouting reports and defensive hints to his players before games, but for some reason these guys think just because coach wants them to score 108 each game they don't need to focus on defense, which is entirely wrong.
Click to expand...

I don't see anyone on this particular thread blaming the horrible defense on SSOL. That's a separate issue.

So now you know what he hands out and says before games? Does Randolph also get a scouting report and helpful hints?
 
T

TakMan

Rotation player
I think it's pretty evident that D'Antoni only cares about scoring one more basket than the opposition. It hasn't been of tragic consequences yet, however it's not the stuff good teams are made of. I can't remember a team over the past 20 years to have even reached the conference finals without a credible defence. It's not looking promising for the Knicks. Felton's just not performing. Appalling shot selection, hasty/incomplete plays and -as usual- non-existent defending.

I think Randolph should have come on in the 3rd when it was all done and dusted.
 
S

Sprewell-Houston

Starter
I don't wanna argue with you guys or defend D'Antoni. It's just the impression I got.

Trust me I'm the first one who blames coaches when I think they suck. For some reason I don't get that impression with Mike D'Antoni.

The question I wanted to raise is: How much do the players use Mike D'Antoni and his philosophy/behavior as an excuse not to play defense?

I mean it's easy to blame it on the system, but coache's rant or not - they should all be able to play decent defense. I don't say Amar'e needs to become Charles Oakley on defense or Bill Walker has to defend like John Starks, but what I demand as a fan is some solid effort by every player, whether coach gets in their face or not.

Maybe I'm all wrong, I don't know. To me D'Antoni isn't as bad as people sometimes think.

Did Iverson play defense under Larry Brown? I mean team defense not ging for steals.
 
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